Steny Hoyer: “In a civilized society we will not tolerate some crimes, and we will adjudge the commission of such act as war crimes.…”

“In a civilized society we will not tolerate some crimes, and we will adjudge the commission of such act as war crimes. And we will, at the appropriate time or as soon as possible, hold accountable those who committed such crimes, whether they be at the lowest levels or whether they be at the highest levels. This issue is a critical one as we look to a more civilized international community, where we do not redress our differences through armed conflict but redress those grievances through negotiation and through the application of international law. Ultimately, the application of international law must be done through a tribunal which adjudicates the commission of wrong and then imposes the sanction for the commission of that wrong. One of the restraints on doing that is the financial ability of the War Crimes Tribunal to gather evidence; to go after and arrest international lawbreakers, and to bring those lawbreakers before the court of justice. I believe the amendment of the gentleman from Wisconsin is not only one that is worthy of support, but is one that will ultimately lead to a more peaceful, less violent, more accountable international community. And because of that, I urge its adoption.”